Choosing the right body armor with respect to the threat level

Humans have been using a variety of armor for personal safety for thousands of years. Ancient tribes used to fasten parts of plant trunks around their bodies when they used to go out on the hunt. But today, one could be overwhelmed by plenty of armor choices available in the market.

A prospective buyer can spend several days or weeks researching on body armor types before picking the right one for his/her safety. This article aims at giving you the best guidance that can shorten your research time and aide you in the decision making.

One thing you need to remember that you are going to buy armor for your personal safety. Hence, instead of considering the cost and other factors, the most critical factor you need to weigh upon is the threat level. The type of threat you may face, based on that you should shop for your body armor.

Here, it is important to understand that armor rated to stop a particular threat may fail to stop a bullet of a smaller caliber. In fact, a bullet travelling at a slower speed might penetrate some armor types. On the contrary, the same bullet while traveling at a higher speed may not be able to pass through the armor. These types of issues can make the selection of armor more difficult. Thus, before buying the product, it?s important to fully understand its true capabilities.

According to The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the body armor is categorized on the basis of threat levels between II and IV. You should have a brief idea of these threat levels and which will help you in buying your perfect armor.

Threat Level II

Level II armor is designed to protect a person from a projectile or a sharp object traveling at a moderate speed of around 350m/s. This type of armor can withstand multiple hits or attacks. But all Level II armor models may not be equipped with the multi-hit capability. This type of body armor is usually soft and comfortable to wear.

Threat Level III-A

Like the Level II, level III-A armor is also a soft and flexible armor. But it can have rigid armor plates to offer an enhanced protection. The III-A rating armor can stop projectiles traveling at a speed of 420m/s. These armors provide the lightest possible safety solution with their insert plates, which are usually referred to as ?speed plates?.

Threat Level III

In the NIJ?s rating system, Level III armors are designed to stop hits traveling at a speed of around 800m/s. These could be Full Metal Jackets with rifle plates or hard inserts. The Level III armors cover the majority of threats. The product is available at a moderate cost and is not much bulkier as well.

Threat Level IV

According to the body armor specifications defined by the NIJ, Level IV is the highest armor rating at this time. The level IV is designed to effectively stop a single hit or a bullet. However, the effectiveness in neutralizing the threat typically depends on the situation, despite this is leveled as the highest personal protection armor.

Besides the NIJ, there are other testing protocols as well, such as the Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) and the DEA/FBI. But the NIJ system is more recognized and prevalent.

Conclusion

While selecting armor, you always need to balance between the weight and the cost, besides considering the threat level. If you are required to wear your protection for a long period of time, a lightweight armor can be an ideal one. People often don?t like to wear armor that is too heavy. Your armor should be easy to wear and should not impede your movement.

In fact, there are armors to fit most budgets today. But the ideal question is how much you need to spend to counter your threat. If your threat level is not critical, then choosing an advanced level of armor could be a waste of money only.